Terry Schaack, M.D.

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Terry Schaack, M.D., who completed a fellowship in rheumatology at UCLA Medical Center in 1989, will be recognized by Mission Doctors Association as the Catholic Doctor of the Year, with the “World of Difference Award.” The honor is to be presented Oct. 12 at the Los Angeles Archdiocese Annual Mass for Healthcare Professionals at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels.

From the press release:

Schaack’s lifelong dedication to medicine began in high school and has remained steadfast ever since. While he has contributed to research that advances medical knowledge and improves patient care, it is his hands-on work with patients that brings him the greatest fulfillment. Guided by his Catholic faith, he views medicine not just as a profession, but as a true vocation — a way of living out his call to serve others every day of the week.

Fr. Ed Benioff, his pastor at Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills, said of the honoree, “I nominated Terry as Catholic Doctor of the Year because of his total commitment to his patients, 24 hours, seven days a week. In particular, his loving and consistent care of my 96-year-old colleague, Fr. O Ryan, brought him back from the brink of death. This type of dedication he shows to all his patients, and that is what makes him an exceptional physician! His care is a reflection of his love for God.”

Schaack attended the University of Texas and completed his residency in internal medicine at Ohio State University. He has led a distinguished career in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, maintaining a private practice in Beverly Hills since 1990. He served as medical director and president of the California Health and Longevity Institute for two decades and, from 2013 to 2025, was principal investigator for the Project Baseline Health Study at the Institute’s Southern California site.

Mission Doctors Association was founded in 1959 to support the work of Catholic doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who serve at Catholic hospitals and clinics at the invitation of a local bishop or religious order.